The Monarch Site

The Monarch Site

Depth Range 15' to 80'

The Monarch is located off the Palisades on the North End of Isle Royale about half way between Blake Point and Locke Point. It is near shore just off the steep rocky face of the Palisades. The buoy marking the location is fastened to a mooring block usually set in about 60' of water off the stern section of the wreck near the bathtub.

There is nothing intact to penetrate on the site. It is typical of many wooden ship wreck sites in that the sides of the ship have broken off leaving the bottom section and several side sections. The ship's anchor is located in 15' of water sticking out of the rocks just beyond the farthest extreme of the bottom section. One of the interesting aspects about the hull construction is the manor in which the Monarch was reinforced with iron. As you swim over the site some of the "hybrid" beam construction can be seen. The wooden "hogging arches" that stiffened the sides of the ship can also be seen in the construction of the sides of the ship.

Probably the feature of the site that divers enjoy most is the diverse collection of ship's cargo that can be seen at the site. A bathtub, workbench vise, a stove, china, a pitcher, a pump, cargo rollers, wrenches, crates of rusted together bolts, and bottles is just a short list of the artifacts visible at the site. The brown bottles are filled with wheat and were used to transport wheat samples. Although many of the bottles have been broken over the years, a few intact bottles still remain. For bottle enthusiasts there is an "S.B. & G. Co." embossed on the bottom of the wheat bottles. They were made by the Streator Bottle & Glass Co., Streator, IL, (1881 - 1905). A medicine bottle is inscribed "Foso Company For the Hair and Scalp Columbus O. USA": The product was manufactured by Foso Company from 1894-1910, and again in 1922. Divers have been looking at them and leaving them on the site for over 20 years, which speaks well of the high level of diving etiquette at Isle Royale. Please enjoy them and leave them for others to see.